


Gift.

by JenJo



Series: 12 Days of SteveTony [7]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-20
Updated: 2015-12-20
Packaged: 2018-05-07 22:22:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,450
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5472719
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JenJo/pseuds/JenJo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>'12 Days of SteveTony' from Dailysuperhusbands on Tumblr.<br/>Day 7: Gift.</p>
<p>Steve, with the help of Sam, goes through his belongings from his past. He finds something that puts his present into clear focus.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Gift.

"...gift for Tony yet?"  
"You know, I haven't yet."  
"Steve, it is a week before Christmas. What have you been doing?"  
"You mean besides saving the world, spending time in the infirmary, and saving the world?"  
Sam rolled his eyes. "You're serious, aren't you."  
Steve shrugged. "I just figured I'd find the right thing at the right time, you know?"  
"And you think you're gonna find it here?" Sam gestured to the room. The pair were in a storage container, going through Steve's possessions from before the serum. At least, Steve was going through the possessions. Sam kept finding new photo albums to look through while sitting on the ground in the middle of the room, the only clear space.  
"Of course not," Steve picked up a box, labelled 'Mom', and brought it to the centre of the room. He sat across from Sam, and started going through the contents. "I just had a free moment, so I figured that it was about time to come down here and go through this stuff."  
"And you brought me why?"  
"You came along willingly."  
"Because when Captain America calls you out of nowhere, saying that he needs your help, you don't question it."  
"Captain America didn't ask for your help. I did."  
"But you used your Captain America voice." Sam looked up at Steve, realisation dawning on his face. "You guilted me into coming, didn't you?"  
Steve gave Sam a smile before going back into the box. "I have no idea what you are talking about."  
Sam shook his head. "I'm onto you Rogers. But seriously, wouldn't Tony have made more sense as a partner in this?"  
"Maybe if I didn't want to get through everything," Steve smiled.  
Sam groaned. "Seriously, you wanted to give me that mental image?"  
"What mental image? I didn't say anything."  
"Your laughter betrays you."  
"You know," Steve pulled out a photo album as he spoke to Sam, looking through the pictures of his younger days "I was surprised you were free. Figured you'd be busy."  
"Doing what? I don't exactly have a nine to five job any more."  
"You have been getting quite close to Rhodey lately," Steve commented. When Sam didn't immediately reply, he looked up. Sam was staring intently at the photo album in his lap. "Sam?"  
"No idea what you're talking about, Rogers. James and I are just friends."  
"James?" Steve echoed, laughing. "No one calls him James." When Sam continued to ignore Steve, he stopped laughing, and put aside the album. "Really?"  
Sam shrugged, before also putting aside the album that he had been holding. "Maybe? Look, the whole flirting thing comes like a second nature. It's getting past that stage, you know?"  
"Oh yeah, I know," Steve nodded. "But you want it to go past that stage?"  
"It might already be past that stage," Sam muttered, looking down at his hands.  
"Might be?"  
Sam looked up at Steve. "Can we please not talk about this right now?"  
Steve held up his hands in surrender. "Alright."  
Sam picked up the discarded album, looking through it as Steve got out a box labelled 'For Steve.'  
"Hey Steve, you were a cute kid," Sam mentioned, holding up a particular page. "Steve?"  
Steve was holding a piece of paper, reading the words.  
"You still there?"  
Steve didn't look up, just passed the piece of paper over to Sam.

'Steve.  
You never met your father. That was always saddening to me, that you two would never meet.  
Your father was always very dear to me. I hope that one day, you find someone who means just as much to you. Someone who changes your life for the better. Someone who cares for you as much as you care for them.  
While I would like to be around to meet this person, I am realistic about my life expectancy at this moment. I will most likely be gone. No matter who you find, I know that I would approve of them. Anyone who brings out the best in you, is a person that I would love.  
In the box are your father's dog tags. I wore them, when I wasn't working. I put our rings on them. In a way, it felt like your father was always with me.  
I give them all to you. Your father's dog tags. His wedding band. My wedding band. I want you to do with them as you see fit. Whatever you choose, I know you will be making the best decision.  
I wish you the best of luck for all that you encounter in your future.  
All my love, to you my son,  
Sarah.'

"Whoa," Sam said, looking up at Steve. Steve was holding the dog tags in his hands, looking at the rings.  
"Yeah," he whispered.  
Sam put the letter back into the box. "You didn't know about these?"  
Steve shook his head. "Nope. After she died, I received the box of her belongings. But I never went through it. It was too raw. And by the time that I was ready, I was seventy years in the future and had no idea if I still had it."  
"You okay?"  
"I think so," Steve looked up and smiled at Sam. "I know what to get Tony for Christmas now."  
Sam raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Really?"  
"I have actually been thinking about it recently," Steve looked back at the dog tags in his hands. "The letter has just maybe confirmed that its the right time."  
"Like a sign?"  
Steve laughed, and looked back at Sam. "Yeah, like a sign. Am I crazy?"  
"Yeah, you're crazy Rogers, about a lot of things. But, if that was your way of asking me if what you're doing is right, then I have one question for you: do you love Tony, and want to spend the rest of your life with him?"  
"Yes," Steve answered immediately. Sam nodded.  
"Then you are doing the right thing. Don't doubt yourself."  
"Do you think that he will say yes?"  
"I'm not Tony. I don't think that I know the answer to that. But," Sam added when Steve started to look worried. "He would be an idiot to turn you down. Plus, I've seen you two together. I don't think you have anything to worry about."  
"Thanks Sam," Steve put the dog tags around his neck, before standing up. He offered a hand to Sam.  
"No problem," Sam stood up, and pulled Steve into a hug.  
"Thanks," Steve repeated when they broke apart. "Time to go home."  
"You gonna ask him today?"  
Steve shook his head. "No way. I need time to come up with the perfect way."  
"Let me guess: it will take you a week to prepare?"  
Steve rolled his eyes at Sam. "So what if it does?"  
Sam shrugged. "Didn't mean anything by it. Gonna come back here tomorrow? We didn't exactly get through everything."  
Steve looked into the storage container before pulling shut the door. "I'll be back at some point. Maybe with my wonderful fiancée?"  
Sam shook his head as the pair began walking away. "You two are unbearable now. What's it going to be like once you're engaged?"  
Steve smiled. "Probably more of the same, to be honest. Need a lift back to the tower?" Steve asked, having reached his motorbike. Sam shook his head.  
"Nope. I'm actually meeting up with someone," Sam rubbed at the back of his neck nervously. Steve smiled.  
"Someone I know?"  
"Maybe."  
Steve smiled, clapping a hand on Sam's shoulder. "Have fun."  
Sam rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Go on home to your man."  
"My man," Steve said to himself, a goofy grin on his face. Sam pushed him toward his bike.  
"Don't get distracted on your way home with thoughts of your man." Steve shook his head at Sam as he hopped onto his bike.  
"Bye Sam," Steve waved as he started up the engine. Sam waved back as Steve rode off.  
Once he turned a corner, Sam pulled out his phone to type out a text message as he walked.  
Me: Got some interesting news.  
A minute later, he had a reply.  
Rhodes: So do I.  
Sam stopped in the middle of the footpath as he read the words.  
Me: Could our news be related?  
Rhodes: Does it involve two idiots?  
Me: Of course.  
Rhodes: Then we're probably talking about the same thing.  
Me: Are you almost at the cafe?  
Rhodes: Already here.  
Me: Alright, I'm five minutes max.  
Rhodes: See you soon. :)  
Me: :)? Really?  
Me: James?  
Me: Ignoring me, really?  
Me: You know I can see that you've read these.  
Me: Ignoring me doesn't change the fact that you sent that smiley face.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading.
> 
> And a thanks to Kogouma, without whom War Falcon probably wouldn't have been such a feature of these.


End file.
